[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 24603-24604]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CONDEMNING THE NOVEMBER 26, 2008, TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MUMBAI, INDIA

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees 
on Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce be discharged from further 
consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1532) condemning the November 
26, 2008, terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, and expressing sympathy 
to the innocent victims from India and around the world, and ask for 
its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1532

       Whereas, on November 26, 2008, coordinated and cowardly 
     acts of violence were carried out throughout Mumbai, India, 
     the country's financial capital and largest city;
       Whereas teams of gunmen stormed various locations 
     throughout Mumbai, including two prominent hotels, a local 
     cafe, a Jewish outreach center, a hospital, a railroad 
     station, and a cinema, shooting and torturing their victims 
     and setting off grenades and explosives along the way;
       Whereas after 60 hours of terror, these attacks were 
     successfully brought to an end on November 29, 2008, by the 
     Indian government;

[[Page 24604]]

       Whereas media outlets are currently reporting hundreds of 
     injured victims and 172 fatalities, including 6 Americans;
       Whereas President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack 
     Obama immediately condemned the Mumbai attacks and extended 
     their condolences and the support of the American people to 
     all Indians;
       Whereas this is the second large-scale terrorist attack in 
     Mumbai since the July 2006 train bombings;
       Whereas India has long been ravaged by similar attacks over 
     the past few years in other large Indian cities, including 
     Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad, as well as by 
     attacks abroad, most recently at the Indian Embassy in Kabul;
       Whereas India has been a strong partner of the United 
     States in combating violent extremism and offered immediate 
     support to the United States after the terrorist attacks of 
     September 11, 2001;
       Whereas the United States and India are both multicultural, 
     multiethnic, multi-religious democracies that oppose 
     terrorism in all its forms and will continue to work 
     steadfastly to overcome terrorist ideologies and to promote 
     international peace and security: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns in strongest terms the senseless and barbaric 
     November 26, 2008, terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India;
       (2) expresses its condolences to the families and friends 
     of those individuals from India and abroad who were killed in 
     the attacks and expresses its deepest sympathies to those 
     individuals who have been injured;
       (3) joins with President George W. Bush and President-elect 
     Barack Obama in expressing the solidarity of the people and 
     Government of the United States with the people and 
     Government of India at this difficult time;
       (4) vows its support and readiness to provide all 
     appropriate assistance and resources to the Government of 
     India as it works to bring the terrorists responsible for the 
     November 26, 2008, attacks to justice;
       (5) expresses its desire for improved coordination between 
     the United States and India, with the goal of combating 
     terrorism and advancing international peace and security;
       (6) rejects any effort to confuse or associate the horrific 
     attacks on Mumbai with a particular people or faith as a 
     whole;
       (7) notes the Government of Pakistan's condemnation of the 
     attacks and welcomes that government's call for a thorough 
     investigation;
       (8) calls upon the Government of Pakistan to--
       (A) work in full cooperation with the Government of India 
     to ensure all those responsible are brought to justice; and
       (B) prevent its territory from serving as a safe-haven and 
     training ground for terrorists; and
       (9) calls upon nations around the world to renew and 
     strengthen efforts to--
       (A) defeat terrorists by dismantling terrorist networks, 
     restricting the financing of such networks, and exposing the 
     violent and intolerant ideology of terrorism;
       (B) increase international cooperation to advance personal 
     and religious freedoms, ethnic and racial tolerance, 
     political liberty and pluralism, and economic prosperity;
       (C) combat extremist ideology and the social injustice, 
     oppression, and poverty that breeds terrorism; and
       (D) make all appropriate international law enforcement, 
     intelligence, and other resources available to the Government 
     of India to support a full investigation of the horrific 
     terror attacks according to international legal standards.

  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution to 
express my deepest sympathies to our friends in India and the innocent 
victims from around the world. On November 26, 2008, coordinated 
terrorist attacks were carried out across the city of Mumbai, India, 
killing over 170 people and injuring more than 300. I am very disturbed 
by the brutality of these acts of terrorism and I condemn them in the 
strongest terms possible. Madame Speaker, I would like the Indian 
people to know we are standing by them during this difficult time and 
that we hope to find justice for the innocent victims of this terrible 
tragedy. I ask that all my colleagues support this resolution.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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